Focus on ‘bread and butter’ issues affecting Ghanaians, not ‘specialising in arrests’ — Sammi Awuku slams NDC

Mampong Akuapem Member of Parliament (MP) and former Director-General of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Sammi Awuku, has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that he had been invited or arrested by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

Mr Awuku explained that he was in Kumasi for a wedding when social commentator and political activist Appiah Stadium approached him over the reports.

According to him, Appiah Stadium subsequently contacted the person behind the claims to demonstrate that he was not in EOCO custody and was going about his normal activities.

Mr Awuku said Bongo Ideas, who initially shared the allegation, later questioned whether the video showing him outside EOCO custody was recent.

“Then this young man called Bongo Ideas who posted the initial rumours, was now saying he doesn't know if Appiah Stadium's video of me being free was current or old. He added that he knows I have been going to EOCO to quietly report. I'm a public figure. I don't need to go and quietly report to an investigative body,” he said.

Accountability must follow due process

Mr Awuku maintained that neither he nor the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) was opposed to accountability, stressing that public officials must be prepared to answer questions about their conduct while in office.

“Once you occupy public office, there'll be accountability one day,” he said. “And so NPP and our members won't run away from accountability.”

He, however, criticised what he described as the “rambo style” and public drama surrounding some invitations and arrests by state investigative agencies.

“What we have bemoaned in the past is the rambo style and the kind of drama that characterizes the invitation and arrests of persons who previously occupied public office,” he said.

He insisted that investigations involving former public officials should be conducted through established legal procedures.

“Accountability is civil and democratic,” he said, adding, “But don't invite us through social media.”

Questions social media allegations
Mr Awuku also questioned the credibility of other claims circulating about him, including an allegation that he owns 250 vehicles.

“How many automobiles are even in Despite's automobile showroom?” he asked.

He suggested that some social media claims appeared designed to create the impression that an individual was about to be arrested.

“It's as if they are using social media to hint at your arrest,” he said.

Mr Awuku recalled seeing an EOCO pull-up banner at the organisation's reception urging members of the public to recognise and speak positively about its work.

He said the message appeared ironic in light of what he described as the agency's recent handling of some cases, citing the arrest of NPP member and former Executive Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), Dennis Miracles Aboagye.

“The most draining part is you keep explaining yourself on the same matter. So that was worrying to me,” he said.

He also dismissed claims by an individual identified as Alex Tetteh that he had been detained by EOCO for three days.

Awuku urges NDC to focus on economic issues

Mr Awuku urged the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to focus on issues affecting the livelihoods of Ghanaians rather than what he described as a pattern of arrests and threats of arrests.

He called on the government to prioritise “bread and butter” issues and cautioned against using social media to damage people's reputations with unverified claims.

“Don't just hide behind social media to ruin people's reputation when all you're saying is not true,” he added.

The Mampong Akuapem MP, however, said he remained a strong supporter of free speech and believed public officials had a responsibility to respond when false information was circulated about them.

“When I see something, I cross check,” he said.